Raw Cacao Truffles

Oh. My. Goodness. These are so delicious. I don't think I'll ever buy a chocolate bar again after seeing how easy they are to make. They taste way better and are much healthier than store-bought chocolate. YUM! Plus, they have maca, one of my favorite super foods. Maca is an herb from the Andes region in South America and is most famously known for it's aphrodisiac properties. It also an adaptaogen, which is one of my favorite kinds of herb. Adaptogenic means that it works differently in every body according to what is needed. If you have too much of something it will down-regulate. If you have too little of something it will up-regulate. I love smart herbs! It's so amazing that they can do that. Maca also helps regulate libido, tissue function, depression, and sexual development. It has a reputation for being "herbal viagra" because it is particularly good at improving libido and sexual function in men. Make a batch and share with your sweet heart!

2 cups raw cacao nibs
2 oz. cocoa powder
generous 3/4 cup of raw almond butter
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tbsp liquid vanilla
3 tbsp melted coconut butter
1 tbsp maca powder
1/3 + 2 tbsp cup of raw honey

Grind the cocoa nibs in a coffee grinder until they become a fine powder. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Scoop out small balls with an ice cream scooper and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Put in the fridge and allow them to firm. (1-2 hours should do it)

**Pro tip- play with some flavor variations. Next time I make these I think I will add a pinch of cayenne and cinnamon. Orange zest, mint and whatever else you can think of would surely make a delicious addition. You could also use yacon syrup or agave if you wanted to make them vegan.

Berry Good Morning Yogurt Muesli

High in fiber and low in calories, oatmeal is a healthier alternative to processed cereals. Oatmeal has a special kind of fiber known as beta-glucan, which is especially helpful for those dealing with heart disease or diabetes. Beta-glucan is also known to regulate the immune system. The berries add a big dose of vitamin C, antioxidants, and enzymes without adding excessive calories or sugar. The flax seeds add a healthy serving of omega 3 fatty acids and folate.  

1 cup of oats

3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk

1 cup of unsweetened yogurt (goat, soy or coconut)

1/3 cup of frozen blueberries

4-5 sliced strawberries

1 tbsp. raisins

1 tbsp. freshly ground flax seed

1 tbsp. pure raw honey or pure maple syrup
1 tsp. raw or pure vanilla extract

Put everything in an airtight container and stir together. Leave to set in the fridge overnight. By morning the milk soaks into the oats and leaves them the perfect texture.

*Serves 2

Raw Strawberry-Apple Pie

This pie is so sweet and delicious it’s hard to believe it’s healthy. This is a definite favorite in my circle of friends- even among the non-health enthusiasts and epicureans.

4½ cups of nuts- either walnuts, pecans or a mixture of the two

7 dates

2 apples

1 small basket of strawberries

1½ tbsp. Vanilla

2½ tbsp. Cinnamon

Pie Pan

Place 5 dates and nuts in the food processor and blend until somewhat uniform. Add vanilla, 2 tbsp. cinnamon and salt and blend for 30 more seconds. Press 3/4 of mixture into a pie pan forming the crust. Shred apple in the food processor and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Slice strawberries by hand and add to mixing bowl. Place 2 strawberries, 2 dates and ½ tbsp. cinnamon in the food processor. Blend until smooth. Add the strawberry glaze to the mixing bowl and stir to coat. Pile the fruit mixture into the pie crust, topping it with the remainder of the crust as a "crumble" topping. It can be enjoyed immediately or put into the fridge to firm up a bit.

Pesto Quinoa Vegetables

Although light and vegetarian, this is a well-balanced meal with both protein and fat (yes, it’s possible to get protein without meat!) Quinoa is the gold standard of grains, which is funny because it’s actually a chenopod, which makes it more closely related to spinach or beets than to cereal grains like wheat. Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America and was considered to be a sacred plant– which is easy to believe when you look at its nutritional information. Quinoa is packed with essential amino acids, meaning it contains more protein than most other things we consider “grains.” One serving of quinoa also has almost 50% of daily recommended magnesium intake. And if that’s not enough, quinoa is low on the glycemic index, high in fiber and has a considerable amount of iron.

For the Pesto:

¾ cup olive oil

2-3 bunches of basil

1 cup pine nuts

1 tsp salt

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy.

For the Quinoa:

1 cup of quinoa- red, white or tri colored

2 cups of vegetable broth

Bring broth to a boil, add quinoa, reduce and simmer

For the Vegetables:

In 1 tablespoon of olive oil sauté some red onion, asparagus, red bell pepper and broccolini. (You could also use mushrooms, zucchini, or whatever other vegetables you like.) Once the vegetables are soft, toss in pesto and quinoa and coat evenly.

Blended Broccoli Soup

Back to my favorite- Soup!

This recipe comes from the cookbook of my favorite co-op, Ocean Beach People’s in San Diego. I love this soup for how simple and healthy it is. It’s clean enough to be eaten on a cleanse, and light enough to be served as a first course. 

¼ cup olive oil

2 cups carrots, diced

2 cups celery, diced

2 cups yellow onion, diced

3 tablespoons garlic, minced

1½ teaspoons fresh thyme

2 teaspoons sea salt

1½ teaspoons black pepper

1 lemon, zested

8 cups vegetable broth

8 cups broccoli florets

4 cups spinach

**I like to add a few dashes of cayenne and I always double the recipe and add extra broccoli.

Sauté carrots, onion, celery, and broccoli stems in olive oil for 20 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add thyme, salt, pepper, lemon zest, broccoli, and broth. Bring to a simmer without letting it boil. (The soup retains a brighter green color and tastes better if the broccoli doesn’t get overcooked.) Once the broccoli is tender, remove from heat and add spinach. Blend the soup with an immersion blender, or let it cool slightly before doing it in a blender. The immersion blender is easier, but I prefer the blender (especially a vitamix) because it gives the soup a creamier texture.

Faux Nacho Kale Chips

The kale chips that need no introduction… they’re a little salty, a little spicy, and have plenty of the satisfying crunch that makes a snack food worthy of admiration.

1 red bell pepper

2/3 cup cashews

2 tbsp. Nutritional yeast

1 tsp sea salt

Juice of ½ a lemon

3 bunches of kale

Blend first 5 ingredients in a blender or food processor. Thoroughly wash, rinse and pat dry kale. Cut the kale into bite-size pieces leaving out the really thick parts of the stem. Put in a bowl and toss together with the “nacho” sauce until evenly coated. Dehydrate on 115° for about 18 hours, or until completely dry.

Green Drink

This is my absolute favorite way to start the day. When you have something this healthy for breakfast, it’s bound to be a good day no matter what comes next. Green drinks are nutritious and satisfying without making you feel slow or heavy. They are also substantial enough to be consumed as a detox program. Try drinking nothing but green drink for a week and see how amazing you feel. (Granted the first three days will not be so great if you’re a caffeine/sugar addict, but after the initial detox period you will feel amazing!)

Greens

Chard

Kale

Dandelion greens

Spinach

Collard greens

Beet greens

Mustard greens

Fruits

Apple

Banana

Berries

Peaches

Grapefruit

Grapes

Dates

Pear

Kiwi

Omegas

Flax seeds

Hemp seeds

Chia seeds

Optional add-ins

Aloe vera

Green powder (spirulina, chlorella, algae, etc.)

Stevia (for sweetness)

Maca powder (wink, wink)

To make a green drink, pick 3 greens and add 3 gigantic handfuls to the blender. Pick another 2-3 fruits and 1 source of omega (along with any other optional add-ins). Add 15oz or so of water (how much water you need will really depend on your blender and how thick you like the texture). Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. YUM!

A few of my favorite combinations:

Spinach, kale, chard, apple, banana, grapefruit, chia seeds, aloe vera, a pinch of stevia and water

Kale, dandelion greens, chard, white peach, blueberry, hemp seeds and water

Dino kale, spinach, red grapes, banana, flax seeds, Vitamineral green powder, water